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Tens of thousands of protesters marched through London on January 21, the day after Donald Trump's inauguration, in defiance of the new US President and to celebrate women’s rights, human rights and equality. Organisers said 100,000 people took part in the Women’s March On London, which was one of hundreds of protests in major cities around the world marking the inauguration of the controversial president. An estimated half a million people took to the streets in a similar event in Washington DC.
In London, throngs of demonstrators marched from Grosvenor Square, past the US embassy and into Trafalgar Square. Many wielded placards emphasising Trump's misogynistic remarks and allegations of racism. As protesters arrived at Trafalgar Square, politicians and activists addressed the crowds, including TV presenter Sandi Toksvig and Labour MP Yvette Cooper. The final speech was given by ten-year-old Sumayah Siddiqi who read out the Dorothy Oger poem 'I Shall Stand for Love'. The Raise Voices Choir provided a soundtrack to the action by singing 'Don't let Trump get his way' to a version of 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic'.
Organisers said the march was 'for the protection of our fundamental rights and for the safeguarding of freedoms threatened by recent political events'. 'We unite and stand together for the dignity and equality of all peoples, for the safety and health of our planet and for the strength of our vibrant and diverse communities,' they added.
Bruce Biege
Chris Beckett
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